The present invention relates generally to ice making and ice dispensing apparatus, and in particular to an improved air sparge system for ice making and ice dispensing apparatus, in which air percolated through water being frozen to ice in an icemaker is obtained from an ice storage hopper of an ice dispenser and recirculated between the icemaker and ice dispenser.
In the food and beverage service industries, it is desirable to provide means for expeditiously dispensing a quantity of ice, for example into a glass, to facilitate service of ice water and cold beverages to customers. Conventionally, the means comprises an ice dispenser, which for commercial application usually includes a hopper for storing a quantity of discrete particles of ice, an icemaker for manufacturing ice for the hopper, a thermostat in the hopper for sensing the level of ice and controlling operation of the icemaker, and an agitator for the mass of ice to prevent congealing or agglomeration, in order to maintain the ice particles in discrete, free flowing form. An opening at the bottom of the hopper enables ice to be removed from the hopper, for example by a dispensing unit which automatically dispenses ice.
If water were simply frozen to ice in the icemaker, the resulting ice would be cloudy, and although it would be suitable from a sanitary standpoint for chilling water and beverages, it would not have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Therefore, to produce clear ice, air is pumped into and percolated through the water as it is being frozen. Conventionally, ambient outside air is used, and since the ice must be sanitary and potable, the air must be filtered. Also, ambient air is usually at a temperature well above the freezing point of water, and gives up its heat to the water, which increases the load on the icemaker.